Family Tradition Ch. 01

"No, no. Easter is fine. We need to be going; I want to see my nieces before they go home tomorrow. Come along, Joe."

Joe and Millie started to leave, and Millie turned back, "Henry, Mary, please have a wonderful New Year's."

They left, and Mary was speechless. "Mary? What's shook you up; that I spoke to your mother in that tone, or that she did not fire back at me?"

"Both, but Mom mostly. She never lets anyone win an argument."

"Let's go discuss this while we take a rest in bed. Tell me all your family secrets, or I will tickle you."

*****

This year Easter Sunday fell on April 20^th, and Mary and I drove down Thursday afternoon. The next day, Good Friday, I went to Hill Valley United Methodist Church services with Mary's immediate family.

After the service and the drive to Millie's house, Joe showed me his woodshop set up in a shed and wanted to talk about Millie and Mary. "The women in this family are kind of peculiar, but especially Agnes and my Millie."

"Please don't be offended, Joe; I like Millie a lot. She's friendly and nice, but she scares me, and I don't know why."

Joe laughed, "She scares me too." Then he got serious, "I love my wife, and I made the ultimate decision to marry her. Mary has been groomed for twenty-one years to be her mother's daughter. One day you will have to make the same decision I had to."

Now I was confused and had questions, but before I could ask, John came down, announcing lunch was ready. A bizarre conversation had taken place, and I had no clue what Joe was talking about.

Easter Sunday, we were joined at church by Lois and Jeff, their two daughters and spouses, and five granddaughters. Agnes and Frank were sitting in front of Mary and me, and to my left were Susan, Alistair, and their four daughters. John, Joe, and Millie were also in front of us and at the end was Tom.

After the service, about a quarter of the church parishioners clustered around Mary and me, greeting me with introductions and handshakes and warm hugs and cheek kissing to both of us. On the way home, as I was watching the road while Mary drove, I mentioned, "Millie went all out trying to make me feel welcome at church."

"Why did you say that?"

"Didn't you see her standing next to the pastor, arms crossed and that satisfied smile on her face? I have no doubts the ceremony at her home will be even elaborate. She is trying hard to make it up to me; I hope she doesn't leave me alone with Agnes.?"

We parked, and Mary took my arm and led me to the front door where her mother was waiting. "Stand here, Henry," and she positioned me next to the open door, and she stood next to me. "Come along, family, and meet the man who has swept my daughter off her feet."

And they formed a line, and she introduced me to one and all, except Agnes, who snuck into the house via the kitchen door.

We had a wonderful Easter dinner, and when Mary and I left at 9:30, I felt great, so good we didn't get to sleep until after 1 AM.

*****

Graduation day came in early May for Mary, and she found enough tickets for her parents, grandparents, and me. We all cheered when she received her diploma, and at the short party at her house, I served the homemade apple pie she showed me how to make, and Millie remarked, "This is Mary's recipe for apple pie. Isn't she a wonderful cook, Henry?" In reality, no, unless we cooked together.

"Well, Mary. What are your plans now? Will you become a teacher or cashier at a grocery store?"

That remark directed at Mary was a little snippy.

"I haven't decided yet, mother."

As they left the house to drive back to Hill Valley, Millie remarked, "Isn't this garden beautiful, Henry? Mary is such a talented gardener."

I almost choked since I had planted the flowers. Mary did stammer, "Mother, stop. You're embarrassing me. Henry..."

"I know, I'm sorry, Henry already knew. Will we see you Memorial Day weekend?"

I answered, "Absolutely, Millie."

That night, we talked about Mary's option's going forward.

"Mom wants me to move back to Hill Valley and teach at the elementary school. I can stay in my old room at home until I can afford a place to live in until I get married. I like it here in this house, but the lease is up July 31^st, and somebody is moving in the next week."

She was hinting but wasn't going to say it, so I did.

"What if you could move back to Hill Valley and could move in somewhere right away?"

"But, how. I won't make enough to afford...."

"What if you had a roommate?"

"Who?"

"How about this cute, hot guy with staying power to meet your needs?"

She caught on to my sarcasm, "Oh, my. And who might this incredibly sexy man be?"

"I couldn't tell you. Maybe you haven't met yet?"

And so we had three things we needed to do between now and August 1^st; both of us had to find a job in Hill Valley, find a place to rent or buy in Hill Valley, and move to Hill Valley. I had a fourth item to do.

*****

We picked a real estate agent, Emily Sears, in Hill Valley to find a house we could afford to buy. We had to face reality after a credit check was run on both of us, and we didn't have any credit at all. Emily's recommendation was to rent for a year, buy everything with a credit card, even rent, and utilities, and pay the cards off monthly. In a year, we should have a credit score to work with toward buying a house.

After that lesson sunk in, she found us a two-bedroom, two bathrooms, detached condominium home. It was in a gated community, midway between the town and Millie's house. The rent was reasonable, so we signed a contract effective July 15^th.

The first item on the checklist, done.

Next, Mary called the school board and applied for an elementary school teacher position. I talked to Larry, and I did not expect the result I got.

"Larry, I need to put my notice in, effective July 15^th. I'm moving to Hill Valley with my girlfriend, and she's going to teach, and I'll be looking for a job."

"Henry, I think this is our lucky day. The company has an office in Hill Valley, a small house on Scarlet Road, near the northbound ramp to I-69. The junior agent working there has put his two-week notice in, effective July 31^st, because he is starting college in August. What do you think? There's a $100 a week raise, no walk-ins, hours are 8 AM -5 PM, Monday through Friday."

I hesitated, and Larry started talking again. "In five years, I'm retiring, and before that happens, the company will send you to classes so you can take over as senior account agent."

If I get tired, I can quit anytime because I don't like answering the phone.

For my love of Mary, I gave in, "Okay. I'll take it."

That evening at home, I told Mary my news, and she told me she had an appointment after school let out in June. So between exploring our bodies and packing, everything was fantastic.

*****

We traveled down to Millie's house the Saturday before Memorial Day, and they took us to a community picnic at an elementary school. I met so many people, and with Mary on my arm, I felt content. That night at Millie's home, we talked about this and that, and I let Mary tell them our news. Joe and Millie were beyond happy, Tom grunted, and John looked sick. We went to church the following day, and afterward, we left and drove to my parents' house.

Mary and Mom spent all afternoon with my two Aunts and two of my female cousins in the kitchen, preparing the food to be cooked and eaten on Memorial Day. She had a great time.

I was tormented all afternoon by two uncles, six cousins, Ted, and my dad.

"Are those things real, Henry?'

"Is that a bra or a boulder-holder?"

"Does she lick your tonsils?"

"Is she a screamer?"

"Can I ask her to my prom?"

"When are you proposing?"

"Can she cook?" That was a question I answered, and of course, that was from Ted.

"As good as I can, but together we do quite well."

*****

Memorial Day and the weather was clear, sunny, and warm. The food was piping hot and delicious, and dessert, Apple and Peach pies, and an ice cream cake filled us up. Mom was thrilled with the way the day went, and she now loves Mary like a daughter. Dad said he was proud of me.

"Dad, I don't think I'm coming back to work for you. I never got my head into the parts operation, but I hate my current job, too, answering phones. But I would clean toilets all day as long as I have Mary."

"I know, son, love will do that to you."

On the way home, Mary talked about my Mom. "Mom is something else, not like mine at all. I dropped an egg and started to cry, and she said, 'Hush child, it's an egg. The chicken might be mad at you, but it's still just an egg.' Then she hugged me and helped clean it up." She smiled at me and seemed to have enjoyed the day.

"My Mom would have yelled at me and called me names and made me cry."

*****

The month of June settled in, and we finished packing to move except for essentials. I planted Margie's annuals and hired a teenage kid to mow her lawn and weed her garden. Mary had her interview and was hired as a first-grade teacher pending verification of her references and credentials.

The move-in date came, and we packed up in a small U-Haul truck and drove to our condo. The house her dad rented for three years came furnished; the condominium was also furnished, so all we had to move was personal items and clothes. Once we moved in, we found we were spending more time at Millie's. Millie and Agnes sang Mary's praises in the evenings, talking about her cooking, sewing, keeping house, and even as a future mother. Mary sometimes would babysit for a neighbor's one-year-old this summer before school started. I smiled and nodded my head.

All three items on our checklist were checked off, and I needed to take care of the fourth one, buying the ring.

*****

The Saturday before Labor Day, I spoke to Millie and Joe while Mary was busy setting up her classroom at her school. I showed them the ring and asked for their blessing to marry their daughter at Hill Valley United Methodist Church.

They muttered to themselves, and I said, "Okay, I'll take this as a no. Nice to meet you."

Joe grabbed my arm and said, "Wait, Henry, we were just stretching it out, trying to make you nervous."

"Be careful, I don't like surprises, and I hate being pushed into doing something." They exchanged glances, and their smiles were a little forced.

Sunday night, we were snuggling in bed, and Mary was talking a mile a minute about what her first-day teaching would be like on Tuesday. After five minutes of Mary being ecstatic, depressed, happy, and sad, I stopped her from talking by kissing her. I stopped after five seconds, and she started talking again. I went back down and kissed her while counting to twenty. This time she was silent.

"Mary, I need to talk to you about something." Her face went from happy to hysterical in 1.2 seconds. I stopped that with another kiss.

"Don't cry. Talking is good, I hope. I hate surprises, so I need to know your answer before I ask 'the question' in front of all your family."

"Oh, okay, Henry. Ask away." She still looked like a scared little girl.

"Mary, will you marry me?"

She exhaled loudly, "Before I answer, Henry, you have to speak to my parents first."

"While you were at school yesterday, they gave their approval."

"Then, where's the ring?"

"What's your answer?"

"Yes, you dummy." She kissed me, a quick on my lips.

"Yes."

A sloppy wet kiss hit my lips.

"Yes, yes, what took so long?"

Her tongue danced with mine, the Lambada, I think.

"Yes, yes, yes, where's the ring?"

"Now that I know your answer to my question, I will ask you again officially at the cookout tomorrow. Your mother insisted I do it this way. Let me crawl under the covers and reward you early for a successful first day at school on Tuesday."

I leave the rest to your imagination.

*****

End of Chapter 1